Broken
by Jemi Obsessed
Summary: It was something that they had never expected. Shane was dying from cancer at twenty eight years old. Smitchie


**a/n: Yeah, so I'm sad about LOTVC ending, so I wrote this…**

BROKEN

It was the day of their fifth anniversary when she found out.

"Mrs. Gray?"

Mitchie smiled. "This is she."

"This is Doctor Stevens. Has Shane talked with you yet?"

Mitchie immediately put the iron down. "No…not about anything serious, that is…why?"

"Mitchie, I hate to be the one to tell you this but…your husband is dying from cancer."

Her world came crashing down.

Shane came home from work that evening with a bunch of roses for Mitchie, only to find her standing in the kitchen, staring at him with her arms crossed, tears streaming down her face. He instantly set all of his things down and embraced her. "Mitch? Honey, what is it?"

She pushed him away and glared at him. "What? Am I not important enough to know that you're dying?"

His world came crashing down. "Mitchie, I was going to tell you, I just didn't want to tell you today…"

"Why are you acting so calm? You are dying, Shane! Dying at twenty eight years old! And you don't tell me! Me, the voice inside your head, your wife, the mother of your children, and the one who loves you no matter what and you hide this from me! Sure, I don't really want to hear it at all, but I much rather would've liked to find out from you and not your doctor!"

Shane felt horrible by now. He was causing Mitchie this pain, and there was nothing he could do to stop it. "Mitchie, please, I don't want to spend our anniversary fighting."

Mitchie took a deep breath. "You mean our possible last anniversary?" She couldn't be angry anymore, she just couldn't. She collapsed into his arms and sobbed, "Why you, Shane? After everything you've done? Why you? Why couldn't God take a man who left his family?"

Shane couldn't help it, he cried too. "I guess God needs me up there."

"Well, fuck him! I need you more than he does! I need you to help me raise our two sons! Jesus, Shane, what am I going to tell them?" Mitchie cried even harder onto Shane's shoulder.

* * *

"Mommy? When is Poppy going to come out?"

Mitchie smiled sadly at her four year old son. "I don't know, Gabriel. Soon."

Jackson, the three year old, looked around. "Mommy, is this a hospital?"

"No, Jack."

"Is it a doctor's office?"

"Yes, honey."

"But it's not a hospital?"

"No, Jackson." Mitchie was surprised she hadn't snapped yet.

"So Daddy is okay? He's just getting a checkup?"

Mitchie looked up and winced at the many sympathetic looks from the other people in the room. "Jackson, do you want to come sit with me?"

"Okay, Mommy."

Mitchie hugged her son as he sat in her lap. She knew she was getting unhealthy. She had lost weight, gotten bags under her eyes, and she felt weak all the time. The worst part was the fact that she looked better than Shane. He kept getting worse and worse every single day. It was breaking her heart.

"Mrs. Gray?" A young nurse looked around the room.

Mitchie sighed and looked at the elder lady next to her. "Can you please watch my sons?"

The old woman smiled sadly. "Of course, dear. Go see your husband."

The nurse led her to an office and the doctor glanced uncomfortably at her. "Mitchie, Shane isn't getting any better. I say he only has about two months left."

"Two months?" Suddenly, the room started spinning. "No, it has to be longer."

"I'm sorry, Mrs. Gray. You may go see him now."

Shane knew it was bad news when Mitchie walked into the room with her head hung low. "Hey, sweetie."

"Hi." She sat down in the chair and took his extremely thin hand. "Did they tell you anything?"

"No."

She laughed quietly and shortly. "I guess I have to tell you, huh? Shane…two months."

Shane closed his eyes. Two months. Only two months to watch his sons grow, to kiss Mitchie, to tell them he loves them.

"And they are going to keep you here for two days."

"What? No! I only have two months to live and I am not wasting my time here! Why do they need to take tests anyway? I'm dying anyhow!"

Mitchie gripped his hand harder. "They are taking the tests just to make sure you don't go sooner, Shane!"

Two months…

* * *

"Mitchie, I'm in pain…"

Mitchie sighed as she walked into the bedroom. There was only half a month left and Shane was on bed rest. "Honey, there is nothing I can do for you."

"Mitchie, can't I just get up and go play with the boys?"

"No, Shane, I'm afraid you can't."

"Why won't you let me do anything!"

"Because you'll get worse, Shane."

"I hate this!"

"Shut up, Shane! You think that you're the only one with pain! Well, you're not! I have to stand here and watch you lay in bed all day instead of going to play sports with the kids! And it doesn't end there, the boys want to know what is happening to their daddy! You aren't the only one aboard this ship, Shane! Your sickness affects all of us!" She didn't mean to yell at him. She only felt worse after he flinched and started heavily breathing.

After drinking the glass of water Mitchie got him, Shane whispered, "Must we fight when I have less than a month left?"

"No. We shouldn't. I'm sorry. I love you."

"I love you too. More than you'll ever know."

* * *

"Mrs. Gray, you and your sons should probably go in and say goodbye, he's going soon."

Mitchie, Gabriel, and Jackson had tears streaming down their faces as they went to visit Shane.

Shane smiled weakly. "Hey, I want to remember you guys with smiles on your faces."

Gabriel shook his head. "No, Daddy, we won't let you go."

Shane laughed feebly. "I'm afraid you can't, buddy. Both of you, come here." He hugged his two sons as he said, "I may not physically be with you, but I'll always be in your hearts and hopefully in your minds. Okay?"

Both boys nodded and Mitchie let out a sob. Shane motioned for her to come closer. He hugged her best her could and smiled the brightest smile he had in months. "You're always going to be the missing piece I need, Mitchie. I'll always love you. And don't be afraid to find someone. Just make sure that they'll take good care of you and the boys."

"No, Shane, please don't say that!" Mitchie started crying harder. "No one can ever replace you!"

Shane kissed her, feeling that special spark one last time. "I love you guys. So, so much. Remember me?"

Mitchie cried, "Always."

Then the heart monitor went flat.

* * *

"Shane Gray was an example of a true family man. He loved his wife like no other and cared for his sons as if he would be whipped if he didn't do so…"

Mitchie stopped listening to the pastor's lecture about her husband and stared at the stain glass window. Out of nowhere, a bright light shone through right on top of her, Gabriel, and Jackson. She whispered to them, "Hey, Daddy's here."

Both boys nodded. "We know."

Mitchie smiled up at the light and knew that her heart was broken. But Shane would always mend it.

* * *

**a/n: meh, not my best…the part where Jackson is asking whether or not it's a hospital, I got that dialogue from two kids who were in the waiting room while I was waiting for my dad's surgery to get done. Their names were actually Jackson and Gabriel. Haha. I also borrowed Nicholas Sparks' idea of the stain glass window thing. Shane is the light…and the last line, what I meant was Shane would be with her no matter what and if she believes that, her heart won't be as broken. Review please!**


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